Tholpavakoothu

Tholpavakoothu (Malayalam:തോൽപാവകൂത്ത്, Tamil:தோல்பாவைக்கூத்து) is a form of shadow puppetry that is practiced in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India. It is performed using leather puppets and is performed in temples or in villages in specially built theatres. This form of art is especially popular in the Madurai and nearby districts of Madurai in Tamil Nadu and also in Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts of Kerala.[1]

A scene from Tholpavakoothu
A scene from Tholpavakoothu
Puppet of Seeta, under the Asoka tree
Performance by Ramachandra pulavar and team at Govt. S.N.D.P.U.P. School, Pattathanam, Kollam.
Ramachandra Pulavar preparing the puppets before the show, Mumbai, 2017
Tholpava koothu shadow puppet artists
Koothumadam, prepared for a stage show
Ezhupara, a percussion instrument used in Tholpavakoothu
  1. ^ "Tholpavakoothu". Retrieved 4 December 2012.